The cell block in the former army base Metelkova, in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, has been converted by a team of designers (one per cell) into one of Europe’s most trendy back-packer hostels. The site is home to an ‘autonomous cultural community’ that includes clubs, live music spaces, art galleries and artist studios. It has an uneasy relationship with the city authorities.

In the developing world, cultural industries are seen as an alternative growth path to commodities and low-cost manufacture. China’s long-term national strategy is summarised in the slogan: From ‘Made in China’ to ‘Created in China’.

China is investing heavily in its film production capacity, and a steady stream of high-design big-budget Chinese epics enjoy international success. But China’s vast market is all but closed to foreign film-makers. At present, the government allows only twenty foreign films to be shown in Chinese cinemas each year.

An elevated highway running along the course of a culverted stream into the centre of Seoul, Korea, was demolished in 2004, and replaced with a 6km urban park. New contemporary bridges and walkways were built, and the banks of the newly-revealed stream were animated with public artworks. Some of the motorway’s old concrete stanchions were kept as a memorial.

The Showroom/Workstation complex houses a five-screen cinema, restaurant and media workspace in a former engineering works. It opened in 1994 as the centre-piece of Sheffield (England)’s Cultural Industries Quarter.